As you probably know, the Supreme Court pretty much destroyed affirmative action, is on its way to reversing same sex marriage, and, using a made-up "doctrine", reversed student loan forgiveness for low- and middle-income people. Here you can read what Rosa Colquitt, chair of Oregon Democratic Party has said.
But let's take a moment to reflect on what our local Republican Party is saying and their actions.
In publications by Holly Morton, chair of the local Republicans, she has stated about LGBTQ residents, that pride month celebrates "sexual preference – something that, thus far, and rightly so, has been a personal matter". Further she describes LGBTQ as "seamy, oversexualized life that is being shoved down their throats, being sold as normal."
Further using words ("We ARE the Calvary") and related images, she implies violence is needed. Now her husband is out photographing volunteers collecting signatures on something that this group of Republicans doesn't like.
Here is an open letter to Ms. Morton. Being a member of the LGBTQ community is no more a "preference" than your preference for being heterosexual. Personally, this author was brought up in a Republican Christian Catholic family and attended 16 years of Catholic education. If anything, I was groomed to be just like you. My life is not "seamy" or "oversexualized” any more than yours is. Do you know any real LGBTQ individuals? Or only the extreme examples often made up by your cult leaders? What if I portrayed all Republican heterosexuals as Jeffrey Epstein? Or for that matter, Donald Trump?
Here's the point. We are not going back into the closet. We are individuals who are contributing members of the Josephine County community. We pay taxes, support public safety, volunteer and spend money locally. Stop vilifying your neighbors with the latest Republican attempt to keep the base engaged and enraged. We have real problems to solve in Josephine County. Divisiveness is one you can do something about.
